Users fight to save Windows XP

SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp.'s operating systems run most personal computers around the globe and are a cash cow for the world's largest software maker. But you'd never confuse a Windows user with the passionate fans of Mac OS X or even the free Linux operating system. Unless it's someone running Windows XP, a version Microsoft wants to retire.Fans of the six-year-old operating system set to be pulled off store shelves in June have papered the Internet with blog posts, cartoons and petitions recently. They trumpet its superiority to Windows Vista, Microsoft's latest PC operating system, whose consumer launch last January was greeted with lukewarm reviews.No matter how hard Microsoft works to persuade people to embrace Vista, some just can't be wowed. They complain about Vista's hefty hardware requirements, its less-than-peppy performance, occasional incompatibility with other programs and devices and frequent, irritating security pop-up windows.For them, the impending disappearance of XP computers from retailers, and the phased withdrawal of technical support in coming years, is causing a minor panic.Take, for instance, Galen Gruman. A longtime technology journalist, Gruman is more accustomed to writing about trends than starting them.

Quote has been trimmed

Bah, the same thing happened when Windows 98 took out 95... and then when XP came around. Nothing new.... things change.

Nuggler

#2

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Damn!!!

Didn't know this.

XP is the first system I've had NO trouble with.

Who do I kill??

Shat!!

(encore)

Praxius

#3

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

The first system you didn't have problems with?

Wow, that statement alone just boggles the mind, lol.

Lester

#4

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

I will opt out of the windows franchise and go Apple. When I went to xp from 98, all of a sudden 60% of my 98 software was no longer any good. If I have to buy new software I might as well switch to Apple.

#juan

#5

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

This is just stupid. I used 98 until a couple years ago when a new computer wouldn't let me install 98. I haven't heard many raves about Vista and I don't want to sound bitter, but haven't we all given Gates enough money? Surely to God with his seventy or eighty billion dollars he could support XP for another few years, or at least until he has a suitable replacement.

Praxius

#6

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

But that's how he got his 70-80 billion to begin with... oh well, that's what Torrents are for (Opps did I say that out loud?)

hermanntrude

#7

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by Lester

I will opt out of the windows franchise and go Apple. When I went to xp from 98, all of a sudden 60% of my 98 software was no longer any good. If I have to buy new software I might as well switch to Apple.

seems like a wise choice to me. I've never used apple or mac or anything other than windows before but I'm surely going to have to choose something else if it's between vista and nothing. I had my first experience with vista recently and hated hated HATED HATED it. It's a crappy piece of total bull****, designed to make computers idiot proof. the problem is that it removes all of the useful options and replaces them with dumb ones. Who the hell wants the option to see tiny, distorted versions of the images within a folder as part of its icon? no-one, but vista decides to chomp up another gigabyte of RAM doing it.

bull****.

not to mention, of course, that it's going to make piracy really difficult.

Praxius

#8

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by hermanntrude

I had my first experience with vista recently and hated hated HATED HATED it. It's a crappy piece of total bull****, designed to make computers idiot proof. the problem is that it removes all of the useful options and replaces them with dumb ones.

lmao... not at your position, but more so what you just said. That was almost word for word my complaints about XP from 98. I hated it, the menus were all screwed up, wait.... in fact, I had the same complaint when 95 came out and I was still using 3.11. It removed all the things I was used to, all the additional options that I knew exactly where they were.... only for them to be thrown somewhere totally different or removed completely.

I grew to like XP I guess.... kinda like how I grew to like 95/98.

I don't really mind Vista myself.

Unforgiven

#9

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

I've used Vista since it was released on a new system. I haven't had any serious complaints about it. Nor have I found a huge problem with programs not working. I find it very media friendly as I make my own dvds on it, record music and edit in both areas without a problem. These used to be the exclusive territory of the Mac for those who don't know.

People don't like change much and I suspect that a part of that is coughing up the coin for the software.

Zzarchov

#10

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

1.) Hate Vista and think its garbage
2.) I will therefore not buy Vista
3.) If I need a new OS, I'll just save money and use an Open Source version.

If Microsoft won't sell me what I want to buy, I just won't buy from them. No different than any other business.

Scott Free

#11

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

That's not the worst of it... Windows 7(external - login to view) is slated to come out in 2010! If I can't keep using XP I'm going to switch to mac. I already use Linux.

I can't stand how Microsoft's latest bloatware slows down the latest technology. As computers get faster the programs they are expected to run get worse (garbage). Windows has destroyed computing. Most of us have computers capable of doing everything we could ever imagine except it is held back by terrible code.

There should be an addendum to Moore's law where the inverse of technological performance is added to software that technology is expected to execute..

shadowshiv

#12

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by Unforgiven

I've used Vista since it was released on a new system. I haven't had any serious complaints about it. Nor have I found a huge problem with programs not working. I find it very media friendly as I make my own dvds on it, record music and edit in both areas without a problem. These used to be the exclusive territory of the Mac for those who don't know.

People don't like change much and I suspect that a part of that is coughing up the coin for the software.

My beef is that a lot of the games that I own will not work for Vista. At a lot of the forums for the games that I play I have heard a lot of people say that they have issues with Vista and are trying to find ways of making the game playable.

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Just a few little details.
1. Computer stores are selling computers with a free downgrade to XP from Vista
2, As of today you can still buy XP ($250.00) and nobody is offering any discounts because XP is going to be an orphan in June.
3. Linux is getting more user-friendly all the time. www.ubuntu.com/news/MostUserFriendlyAward (external - login to view)
4.

Scott Free

#14

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

The Linux community is simply amazing. They are keeping alive the art of computer programming where you do one thing and do it well, where your programs write their own code, where the objective is to keep the program using as few resources as possible.

At the rate Microsoft is going we're all going to need 12 processors just to open our email.

I have an older computer which runs Slack and it is far faster than my laptop which is several generations and almost a decade newer!

eh1eh

#15

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Without Linux the internet would be blue very often. Most servers run on Linux.

#juan

#16

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote:

I grew to like XP I guess.... kinda like how I grew to like 95/98.

I didn't like 95 but there just wasn't any software for 3.1. I liked 98 and used it for about seven years and I would still be using it if I could.

After about two years, I'm getting used to XP

One thing I have noticed is that each successive new version of Windows is a bigger RAM suck.

Nuggler

#17

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by Praxius

The first system you didn't have problems with?

Wow, that statement alone just boggles the mind, lol.

eh???

johai

#18

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

#jaun, Johai here.
Love the info you gave
Three days to go I my Gutsy Gibbon will become "Heddy Heron" Just an hour download from the net. Later.

johai

#19

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Sorry for misspelling your name.

johai

#20

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by Unforgiven

I've used Vista since it was released on a new system. I haven't had any serious complaints about it. Nor have I found a huge problem with programs not working. I find it very media friendly as I make my own dvds on it, record music and edit in both areas without a problem. These used to be the exclusive territory of the Mac for those who don't know.

People don't like change much and I suspect that a part of that is coughing up the coin for the software.

Regarding all the comments on XP and Mirosoft's software. In my opinion perhaps there is some fear here about going to Ubuntu/Linux. In fact what you are going to get if you choose to convert, you will have ...two...two computers in one. The conversion affects MS's software OS only. Files are not lost and there are no disks to deal with. Right now I have 1373 applications running out of over 23,000 already loaded into my system and if I wish to add or delete I can very easily with a few clicks. I've just ordered a Dell laptop which will be converted to Ubuntu. All I have to to is download MS's OS to a CD (if I wish to go back to MS) and have Ubuntu loaded through the net or a CD. It's simple and once you've been there you will never go back, but it's only my opinion.
And there is never a penny put out because it is free and always has been. The download or CD to convert is free and the flow of application or security upgrades are free and appear in the "Update Manager".
Regards,
Johai

gerryh

#21

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Have been running Vista on 2 new laptops....no problems to speak of...in fact my wife ( who HATES upgrading) prefers it over XP...... be that as it may...I have 5 machines that are not capable of handling Vista for hardware reasons. Am I worried...nope....why should I? Support for XP will continue till at least 2014... that's 6 years away still. I will be VERY surprised if I'm not having to upgrade hardware by then.

As for the comments that Microsoft is ripping us off by "requiring" us to "upgrade"...what a load of hogwash. You don't HAVE to upgrade because there is a new OS available anymore than you HAVE to buy a new vehicle because GM brought out a "new and improved" model.

Xp cost about 250 dollars to buy...it came out, what, 2002? That's a total of 12 years.. that's a little over 20 dollars a year for your operating system.

I don't use Apple..... but I bet it is the same thing with apple and their operating systems.

As for Linux.... how many flavours are there? How many upgrades? How many "fixes" per year? How "user friendly" is it?

Nothing of importance to whine about?

johai

#22

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by #juan

Just a few little details.
1. Computer stores are selling computers with a free downgrade to XP from Vista
2, As of today you can still buy XP ($250.00) and nobody is offering any discounts because XP is going to be an orphan in June.
3. Linux is getting more user-friendly all the time. www.ubuntu.com/news/MostUserFriendlyAward (external - login to view)
4.

Well if one added another $300.00 to the XP price you would have a complete Ubuntu system. Monitor extra at your discretion. I have a 17" ACER LCD. Any where from $150-200.
No problems as of today.
Later, Johai

gerryh

#23

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

How about 850 canadian for a new laptop with 17" LCD, 250 gig HD, 2 gig memory, built in cam, Vista Premium. Sorry... your price of 550 for a linux system WITHOUT a monitor is no big steal.

johai

#24

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by gerryh

How about 850 canadian for a new laptop with 17" LCD, 250 gig HD, 2 gig memory, built in cam, Vista Premium. Sorry... your price of 550 for a linux system WITHOUT a monitor is no big steal.

Financially you have made your point but it will still be Microsoft/Vista and eventually more disks to buy. I will not have that burden nor anyone else that goes to Ubuntu.
Let's agree to disagree.
Respectfully,
Johai

johai

#25

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by gerryh

Have been running Vista on 2 new laptops....no problems to speak of...in fact my wife ( who HATES upgrading) prefers it over XP...... be that as it may...I have 5 machines that are not capable of handling Vista for hardware reasons. Am I worried...nope....why should I? Support for XP will continue till at least 2014... that's 6 years away still. I will be VERY surprised if I'm not having to upgrade hardware by then. As for the comments that Microsoft is ripping us off by "requiring" us to "upgrade"...what a load of hogwash. You don't HAVE to upgrade because there is a new OS available anymore than you HAVE to buy a new vehicle because GM brought out a "new and improved" model. Xp cost about 250 dollars to buy...it came out, what, 2002? That's a total of 12 years.. that's a little over 20 dollars a year for your operating system. I don't use Apple..... but I bet it is the same thing with apple and their operating systems. As for Linux.... how many flavours are there? How many upgrades? How many "fixes" per year? How "user friendly" is it?

Quote has been trimmed, See full post:

Gerry.
You strike me as being someone who is willing to listen or give something an honest try. If Canonical has names it's for a reason and followed by dates, i.e., Gutsy Gibbon 7.10 or Heddy Heron 8.04 . Fixes, if any, are rectified a lot more quickly because you don't have to call anyone and besides there is always someone watching and an upgrade is sent to you via the net at no cost and no unnecessary waste of your time and more disks to buy to address the fixes.
You strike me as being computer savvy therefore you would find it very "user friendly".
Gerry, in all honesty I think you are trying to talk yourself out of something. But I am probably wrong.
Good computing to you.
Regards,
Johai

#juan

#26

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote:

Quoting gerryh(external - login to view) How about 850 canadian for a new laptop with 17" LCD, 250 gig HD, 2 gig memory, built in cam, Vista Premium. Sorry... your price of 550 for a linux system WITHOUT a monitor is no big steal.

Financially you have made your point but it will still be Microsoft/Vista and eventually more disks to buy. I will not have that burden nor anyone else that goes to Ubuntu.

I just bought a new 22" LCD monitor for $249.00. I have a 17"CRT monitor that is now extra. I'm getting to the point where I can have another computer for Linux. My last "extra" computer I gave to my daughter.
Anyway, my point is that $550 plus $250 for a monitor would still be cheaper than the system that Gerry quoted but with a 22" monitor.

johai

#27

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by johai

Gerry.
You strike me as being someone who is willing to listen or give something an honest try. If Canonical has names it's for a reason and followed by dates, i.e., Gutsy Gibbon 7.10 or Heddy Heron 8.04 . Fixes, if any, are rectified a lot more quickly because you don't have to call anyone and besides there is always someone watching and an upgrade is sent to you via the net at no cost and no unnecessary waste of your time and more disks to buy to address the fixes.
You strike me as being computer savvy therefore you would find it very "user friendly".
Gerry, in all honesty I think you are trying to talk yourself out of something. But I am probably wrong.
Good computing to you.
Regards,
Johai

Oh and Gerry I forgot to tell you that there is a 575 page printable manual embedded in the system that is updated regularly. It is in colour, gives page examples etc., no need to call anyone. What would a manual of that size cost from Microsoft?
Sweet Dreams
Your Friend,
Johai

gerryh

#28

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

except...the system I quoted was a laptop with all the bell's and whistles....A desktop is a lot cheaper.... the point is, taken over the long run, Windows is not that much more expensive than the open source Linux. Ubuntu is up to version 7.01, therefore it is the same as any other OS in that you need to make regular upgrades and install patches if you want to keep up with the latest and greatest. Being open source allows the user a small savings over the long run in software.

Also note, that the difference in cost between a machine with an OS and one without is not that significant, so the $250 price is not really accurate, because it is a lot less than that if you bought it preinstalled on your machine.

Microsoft HAS to upgrade their software. They make their money selling software, a consumable. If the software was never obsoleted then Microsoft would be out of business and we would still be running x86 machines with 640kb memory. Considering the software that MS is making has a 12 year support lifespan, we as consumers don't have a lot to complain about.

Go buy yourself a decent BBQ...how much you gonna spend? How long is it realistically going to last? How about a car?

gerryh

#29

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by johai

Gerry.
You strike me as being someone who is willing to listen or give something an honest try. If Canonical has names it's for a reason and followed by dates, i.e., Gutsy Gibbon 7.10 or Heddy Heron 8.04 . Fixes, if any, are rectified a lot more quickly because you don't have to call anyone and besides there is always someone watching and an upgrade is sent to you via the net at no cost and no unnecessary waste of your time and more disks to buy to address the fixes.
You strike me as being computer savvy therefore you would find it very "user friendly".
Gerry, in all honesty I think you are trying to talk yourself out of something. But I am probably wrong.
Good computing to you.
Regards,
Johai

I must admit that I have not looked at ubuntu. Can';t remember the name of the last linux flavour that I DL'd and tried on my machines, it was about 2 years ago . It was turfed after about a week of not being able to find suitable drivers for all my hardware.

There are over 32 ubuntu linux flavours alone. As of 2002 there were over 100 different linux flavours. I shudder to think how many there are now.

johai

#30

Re: Users fight to save Windows XP

Apr 14th, 2008

Quote: Originally Posted by gerryh

except...the system I quoted was a laptop with all the bell's and whistles....A desktop is a lot cheaper.... the point is, taken over the long run, Windows is not that much more expensive than the open source Linux. Ubuntu is up to version 7.01, therefore it is the same as any other OS in that you need to make regular upgrades and install patches if you want to keep up with the latest and greatest. Being open source allows the user a small savings over the long run in software.

Also note, that the difference in cost between a machine with an OS and one without is not that significant, so the $250 price is not really accurate, because it is a lot less than that if you bought it preinstalled on your machine.

Microsoft HAS to upgrade their software. They make their money selling software, a consumable. If the software was never obsoleted then Microsoft would be out of business and we would still be running x86 machines with 640kb memory. Considering the software that MS is making has a 12 year support lifespan, we as consumers don't have a lot to complain about.

Go buy yourself a decent BBQ...how much you gonna spend? How long is it realistically going to last? How about a car?

Gerry,
I have a pre-installed BBQ in my kitchen, so much for that. Sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner because I have 12 desks running right now and trying to keep topics in line. Maybe I'll add the other 20 and print out where I am at any given time and the topic. I think that avoidance has become the issue here. As a consumer why would you support a billionaire who is trying to sabotage Java so that Linux has to re-adjust.
Lots of luck down the road.
I'll just renew my computer every six months without leaving my house or having to buy a new bookcase for all those extra disks.
Like a lot of things tend to do this will all become clear in the wee hours of the morning.
Let common sense and respect for the other prevail.
Johai